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What am I doing wrong here?

What am I doing wrong?

  • Total voters
    9
HelpImaRock

HelpImaRock

Jul 1, 2013
5,595
11,149
Capital City
www.fakecanadianisaband.com
#1
tl/dr:

My rig is a Reverend bass -> Markbass LMII -> GK NEO 115. I've been changing up the dirt pedals over the past few months as I get more familiar with that rig (I only bought it last year). Right now, I'm primarily using a Z-Vex Super Duper. I set the amp clean (you kinda can't not set the amp clean) and use the master volume side of the Super Duper for a little grit. When I want to get into higher gain territory, I have the yellow side set up for a nice boost. This raises the volume and the distortion. Sounds great...at home.

In rehearsal, it's a different story. NYC has many by-the-hour rehearsals studios. You bring your instrument and your effects and plug into whatever the house amps are. So part of this situation I'm laying out here is that it's always a different amp. But here's what you know is coming by this point. I bring my stuff, set up, and when we get to a song where I want more distortion, like "20th Century Boy" by T-Rex, my volume is completely lost. So something is happening in the mix that just isn't working. This happens pretty much across amps and studios.

What I've learned from this experience is that it's me. I originally thought "well, that means I need a distortion pedal with an EQ. That'll help me cut through the mix!" I tried out my MI Audio Tube Zone at home and thought it sounded really good. This time, I get to the gig, through my own amp, and the same thing happens.

I wholeheartedly believe this is part of learning the bass. There's nothing more I need to buy, it's just about learning how to use equipment. I just don't quite know what I'm doing wrong. There's little in the signal chain, and it seems so simple. But here we are.

Thoughts?
 
#3
paparoof said:
my bet would be it's an EQ thing. prolly need more mids - but not enough info to go on. scooped tones sound cool playing alone, but you need those mids to show up in a band mix.
Click to expand...

I usually set the EQ either flat, or I cut the bass and leave the mid and treble at noon. It's a good point though. Just because the knobs are at noon doesn't mean the frequencies aren't being cut.
 
#4
HelpImaRock said:
I usually set the EQ either flat, or I cut the bass and leave the mid and treble at noon. It's a good point though. Just because the knobs are at noon doesn't mean the frequencies aren't being cut.
Click to expand...

A flat EQ has always been my starting point in finding a good tone for whatever room/venue I am at. Keep your settings flat - add or remove for taste. I find cutting adds more than boosting. I also do my cutting first before I boost anything. As always YMMV
 
#8
Maybe try some different dirts? Take the subway down to Ludlow Guitars or Main Drag Music out in Williamsburg and try some of their wares. Main Drag has a lot of the Fuzzrocious and ss/bs pedals in stock along with a ton of other manufacturers. Just set aside a day off and go to town there. The staff was pretty friendly and helpful when I was last there.
 
#9
JBNeedsBeer said:
Maybe try some different dirts? Take the subway down to Ludlow Guitars or Main Drag Music out in Williamsburg and try some of their wares. Main Drag has a lot of the Fuzzrocious and ss/bs pedals in stock along with a ton of other manufacturers. Just set aside a day off and go to town there. The staff was pretty friendly and helpful when I was last there.
Click to expand...

I'm really happy with the tone and quality of the distortion I get; whether it be with the SD, my Double Red Llama, or the MI Audio Tube Zone.

One of my friends suggested this is an EQ masking issue. Loud volume and small rehearsal rooms tend to make everything mush up. It's a reasonable explanation.
 
#10
HelpImaRock said:
I'm really happy with the tone and quality of the distortion I get
Click to expand...

You should never judge your gear by the 'bedroom tone' you get.
Jude your tone in the rehearsal space / venue, with the band , playing the actual material.
(Actually, never judge only your tone, judge the sound of the whole band and adjust to improve that)
 
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#11
Maybe you need to go more wild with the EQ settings; don't be afraid to try some seemingly extreme settings to see if that works. Just to check if the EQ is the problem, if nothing else. It isn't necessarily you either; for instance maybe the guitars (if there are guitars) need a different EQ to give you space in the mix.
 
#12
FretNoMore said:
Maybe you need to go more wild with the EQ settings; don't be afraid to try some seemingly extreme settings to see if that works. Just to check if the EQ is the problem, if nothing else. It isn't necessarily you either; for instance maybe the guitars (if there are guitars) need a different EQ to give you space in the mix.
Click to expand...

Actually, I think I'm the problem here, not the guitarist. Weird, I know.
 
#13
We have a limited number of possibilities here where you're directly concerned. We know your volume isn't dropping due to the pedals. We know that you're using amps that are at least acceptable in their output. We know that you're playing in some crummy rooms that may be screwing with the frequencies that reach your ears. We know that you're actually playing the instrument properly.

But I feel like you're insisting on shouldering responsibility for something that isn't anyone's fault, and that may well be in part due to the rest of your band. Is your rhythm guitarist playing a lot of low harmonies? Is everyone else pushing the volume envelope? Do you have the same problem if one or more bandmates sits out when you run thru a song?

Also, are they saying they can't hear you? Or is it strictly a matter of you not hearing it?
 
#16
I've been trying some dirt out lately on my zoom, and have experienced the same thing. We have two guitar players who are always pretty high gain. Our room is also crap.

I've found the trick is in the blend. Try something that only distorts your highs, or something with a wet/dry mix.
 
#18
HelpImaRock said:
No gain or some gain = no problem.
Click to expand...

Well if it sounds right until you hit the pedal, then it's the pedal - right?

My first tweak would be trying to get more mids or low mids outta the pedal (or a different pedal). My next thought would be splitting the signal into dirt and clean stems then mix them back together to taste with a line mixer (or two amps).
 
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#20
Apart from the room too much gain does sometimes cause you to merge with the guitar distortion, this is made worse if you are using similar sounding distortion. For example I sometimes use a Marshall Guv'nor plus, love the saturated sound at high gain, but if my guitarist is using a Marshall amp I'm not as prominent, however if he's using a fender then I'm right there.
I'm not familiar with the pedal in question but a clean blend is almost essential at high gain.
Also, is there any low-end loss at high gain?
 

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